Fire safety for pubs
& bars.Properly assessed, from £295.
A pub carries fire risks that an office or a shop simply does not. Cooking, compressed gas, alcohol, a late-night crowd who may not respond to an alarm as they should, and a licensing framework that puts fire safety at the centre of your ability to trade. The North West has one of the highest densities of licensed premises in England. We carry out fire risk assessments for pubs, bars, and licensed venues across the region, built for the way a pub actually operates.
Who is the Responsible Person?
In a pub the duty sits with the employer, and the licensing position makes it unusually exposed to challenge.
The employer operating the pub is the Responsible Person under fire safety law. Where the pub is managed, this is the management company or operator, not the pubco landlord. Where you are the designated premises supervisor, you are typically the person carrying the fire safety duty day to day.
Where the building is owned by a pubco or brewery and leased to a tenant, building-related fire safety works may involve the landlord, but the tenant's employer duty for their staff and customers sits with the tenant. The split needs to be documented.
Where the pub has a late licence or entertainment licence, the licensing authority will scrutinise fire safety as part of the premises licence conditions. A current fire risk assessment is part of your licensing position.
Where there is accommodation above or within the pub, sleeping risk applies. The assessment has to cover sleeping accommodation to the higher standard required for premises where people sleep.
The problems we
hear most often
Fire safety in a pub is often managed by the landlord or manager alongside everything else. These are the gaps we find most regularly across licensed premises.
"Our fire risk assessment is several years old and was done by someone from the pubco. We have refurbished the kitchen, changed the layout, and added a garden bar. Nothing has been updated."
A pub that has refurbished or extended is a materially different premises from the one that was assessed, and a pubco-produced assessment often reflects the pubco's minimum standard rather than a genuine site-specific review. We assess the premises as it currently exists, including every change since the last assessment, and produce a document that is yours rather than the pubco's.
"A licensing visit or a fire authority inspection flagged our fire safety documentation. We need to respond and we are not sure what we need to produce."
A fire authority improvement notice or a licensing concern requires a formal, documented response, not just verbal reassurances. We can carry out a full assessment, document the remedial actions taken, and produce the written evidence that satisfies the authority. We understand how the fire safety order and the licensing framework interact and can produce documentation that addresses both.
"We host live music, quiz nights, and events where the pub is packed. We do not know if our escape routes and assembly point are adequate for those numbers."
A pub at normal trading may have adequate escape provision, but a pub hosting a ticketed event or a packed live music night is a different occupancy altogether. The escape route capacity, the management of exits during an event, and the communication arrangements all need assessing for peak occupancy, and the assessment should address specifically how busy events are managed.
What makes pubs
different to assess
A pub combines cooking, compressed gas, alcohol, late-night crowds, and a licensing framework that creates specific fire safety exposure not found in any other commercial premises type.
Fire load and extraction
Most pubs now cook, and many have substantial commercial kitchens. Deep fat fryers, high-temperature equipment, grease in extraction ducting, and proximity to the bar and customer areas all create specific fire risk. Extraction duct cleaning records need to be current.
Cellar CO2 and nitrogen
Pub cellars contain compressed CO2 and nitrogen cylinders for dispense systems. A cylinder leak in an enclosed cellar is a serious risk, both from the gas itself and from the potential for ignition. Cellar ventilation and gas detection are part of the fire and safety picture.
Intoxicated occupants
A pub at 11pm may contain a large number of people who have been drinking for several hours. Alcohol impairs the recognition of fire cues and the response to them, slows evacuation, and can cause erratic behaviour in an emergency. The assessment must account for this rather than assuming occupants will respond like office workers.
Live music and packed nights
A packed pub hosting live music or an event holds more people than normal trading, often with exits partially blocked by equipment and a crowd that is focused on the entertainment rather than aware of their surroundings. Event occupancy and escape management need to be assessed alongside normal trading.
Sleeping risk
Many pubs have rooms above, whether let to guests, used by staff, or occupied by the licensee. Any sleeping accommodation brings a higher standard of assessment and specific requirements for escape from sleeping areas.
Late-night targets
Pubs are a recurring target for arson, particularly out of hours. External waste, cellar flaps, outbuildings, and the perimeter all contribute to the arson risk picture, which needs to be assessed specifically rather than mentioned generically.
Your licence and your fire risk assessment — the connection most licensees miss
Under the Licensing Act 2003, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of public safety, including fire safety, are licensing objectives. The fire authority is a responsible authority under the Act and can make representations at licence hearings, challenge renewals, and seek review of a licence where fire safety is inadequate. A current fire risk assessment carried out by a competent assessor is part of your licensing position, not a separate administrative task. We produce documentation that is coherent across both the fire safety order and the licensing framework.
Three services.
One point of contact.
Fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, and fire safety training, delivered by one company that understands licensed premises and the licensing framework.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA thorough, premises-specific assessment covering the kitchen, the cellar, late-night occupancy, event use, and any accommodation above. Documentation coherent across fire safety law and your licensing obligations.
- Kitchen, extraction, and cellar compressed gas assessed
- Late-night and event occupancy covered
- Accommodation above assessed to sleeping accommodation standard
- Arson and perimeter risk addressed
- Documentation suitable for fire authority and licensing authority
- Licensing framework interaction set out clearly
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorPub fire doors protecting escape routes, kitchen areas, cellar access, and any accommodation above are frequently damaged by high-traffic use. We inspect every component and give you a clear, photographed condition record.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices and smoke seals
- Kitchen, cellar, corridor, and accommodation doors
- Photographic evidence per door
- Prioritised remedial recommendations
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical fire safety training for bar staff, kitchen team, and management, focused on the licensed premises environment including late-night occupancy management and evacuation of a busy pub.
- Fire marshal training for management and bar staff
- Managing late-night and event evacuation
- Kitchen and cellar fire response
- Hands-on extinguisher use on a live fire
- Certificates issued to all attendees
The framework
pubs work within
A pub answers to the fire safety order and the fire authority, and to the licensing authority under the Licensing Act, with fire safety running through both.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all pubs and licensed premises as non-domestic premises. The Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment covering the whole premises, including the kitchen, the cellar, any late-night use, and any sleeping accommodation above. For premises with rooms, the sleeping accommodation guide applies.
Under the Licensing Act 2003, fire safety is one of the four licensing objectives, and the fire authority is a responsible authority that can make representations at licence hearings and seek licence reviews where fire safety is inadequate. A current fire risk assessment is part of your licensing position and is frequently requested at licence review hearings or where a complaint has been made.
From an insurance perspective, most pub insurance policies require a current fire risk assessment as a condition of cover, and policies for premises with a commercial kitchen typically include specific conditions around extraction duct cleaning and suppression system maintenance. A fire in a pub with inadequate or outdated documentation is exactly the scenario in which insurers scrutinise compliance records most carefully.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesThe core legislation. Requires a suitable and sufficient assessment covering all of the premises including kitchen, cellar, and any accommodation. Failure can result in unlimited fines or prohibition.
Sleeping accommodation guide
Where rooms are letApplies where guests or staff sleep on the premises. Sets a higher standard for escape, detection, and staff night arrangements.
Licensing Act 2003
Licensed premisesFire safety is a licensing objective. The fire authority can make representations at hearings and seek licence reviews. A current assessment supports your licence position.
Insurer requirements
Check your policyMost pub policies require a current assessment and may include specific conditions on kitchen extraction cleaning and suppression system maintenance.
Experience you can
put in a report.
Tim founded Fletcher Risk Management to bring genuine expertise and personal accountability to fire safety consultancy in the North West. With more than 30 years in the fire industry and a thorough understanding of the licensing framework, he has assessed pubs, bars, and licensed venues across the region. He understands the specific risks of a licensed premises, from cellar compressed gas to late-night intoxicated occupants, and how the fire safety order and the licensing Act interact. When you book with Fletcher Risk, Tim carries out the work.
- ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment
- NEBOSH National General Certificate
- FPA Fire Safety Management Certificate
- Member — Fire Protection Association
Sam oversees operations and brings both fire safety qualifications and a legal background to the practice. For hospitality operators navigating licensing obligations or insurer requirements alongside fire safety law, Sam's LLB and operational background mean the documentation is framed to satisfy all three.
- ABBE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 10+ years fire safety experience
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites for a very important client. The work produced exceeded our expectations by far. I would definitely recommend using this company." — Marie Morgan · EIS Ltd ★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your staff, protect your building."
"We have engaged Fletcher Risk Management to carry out surveys on a number of our sites. I would never hesitate to send Tim — always professional, friendly and accommodating. The work exceeded our expectations."
"Thorough, professional, and excellent value. The report was clear and the action points prioritised in a way that made it easy to know exactly what to tackle first. Would recommend without hesitation."
Book an assessment
built for your pub.
Whether you need a fresh assessment, a response to a licensing or fire authority concern, or training for your bar and kitchen team, we can help. Call us for an honest conversation with no obligation.